Canopies installed over stairs at Fairfield RR station

Updated 2:04 pm, Thursday, January 3, 2013

Canopies are being installed over the stairs at the downtown train station. Installation is expectd to take about one week.

Canopies are being installed over the stairs at the downtown train station. Installation is expectd to take about one week.

Photo: Genevieve Reilly

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Canopies are being installed over the stairs at the downtown train station. Installation should take about a week to complete.

Canopies are being installed over the stairs at the downtown train station. Installation should take about a week to complete.

Photo: Genevieve Reilly

Canopies installed over stairs at Fairfield RR station

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With winter already leaving its calling cards of snow and ice just as the season gets under way, the installation of canopies over the stairwells at the downtown railroad station couldn't be more timely.

The metal canopies -- work on the project started Wednesday -- cover the stairs from the station's passenger platforms to Unquowa Road and a portion of the sidewalk on Unquowa Road as well.

The project was paid for with a Small Town Economic Assistance program grant from the state.

Work on the canopies is being done between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to avoid peak commutation hours. The canopies are assembled off site and it is expected it will take about a week to complete the project.

Once the canopies are in place, lighting will then be installed. It should take another six days to finish that work, according to town officials.

Public Works Superintendent Scott Bartlett said the canopies will not only provide protection to rail passengers during inclement weather, but will also help protect the stairs themselves since harsh chemicals will not have to be used to keep the stairs clear of ice.

The project also includes some repairs to the concrete steps.

Replacement of the brick patio on the New Haven-bound side of the station was recently completed. That project was paid for with $20,000 from the Parking Authority.